Lady of the Whole World

When I was a first year novice, December 31, 1988, waiting for New Year, I sat silently in front of the Belen reflecting the Nativity. While looking deeply the image of the Lady and the Infant Jesus, I had a dialogue in my heart and a prayer was formed. I wrote it in the middle of the night, before our Midnight Mass. This prayer I want to share with you as my Christmas message.

PRAYER TO THE LADY OF THE WHOLE WORLD
Mary, my Mother of Faith
I am so amazed by your faith in me
You caught me by surprise because of your generosity
Why are you giving your Son to someone?
Why to me? My heart is so wicked and wretched.
I don't feel worthy for such a favour
Many times I feel so little because of this responsibility

Mother, you can see only trash in my heart
Once you told me to carve a channel in my heart
That I may let Jesus pass through it
I ask your strength, help me to clean my heart.

And now you have blessed me Mother
You have cleansed my soul
How I wish I would no longer be thinking of sin
That day after day, I would be worthy to embrace Jesus
And press Him into my heart.

The joy that I am feeling Mother is unsurpassable
Help me to be the brother that you want me to be,
That Jesus may grow in my care.
Help me to make Him one with me
To wrap me with His mystery
So that I would also share Him into the hearts of people.

Mother of the Whole World
Thanks for the intimacy that I have experienced with Jesus
Help me to be generous
Feeding the sweetness of the Child for the hungry.
Give me the grace to see clearly excellent practice
Of patience and humility.

You know Mother how small my heart is
So tiny even to embrace a person.
Thank you for the rooms of love, understanding,
Service, humility and peace
I can put Jesus now at any corners of my heart
Through people I meet along the way.

I am so homesick to see you dear Mother
But time has not come yet
For you want me to receive images of the Infant Jesus in my apostolate
Prepare me for that great day
Where I would be in intimacy with you.

In times of persecution
Lend me your actions…
"To keep all things in my heart
And to accept Jesus with all my love." Amen.